Supplements that cause testosterone suppression

[elcapitan]

Are there any common supplements to watch out for that would cause a profound drop in testosterone within a short period of time. I know that prohormones will shut you down after a while of use but I read about something fairly common that when taken would cause an immediate drop in free test levels. I found something somewhere about supplements to avoid but can't find it again.

[Papi93]

I've read that aspirin, in the ECA stack, will lower test levels. I believe I read that at t-nation.com.

[elcapitan]

anyone else?

[macrophage69alpha]

there are actually a lot of supplements that can lower testosterone, particularly when taken in high doses.

[elcapitan]

Found what i reffered to above
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Large doses of licorice extract, usually in the form of candy or chewing gum, may cause hypertension and electrolyte imbalances through a well-defined mechanism (de Klerk et al). This effect was seen in an adult female with administration of a simple decoction of licorice root over three months (Bergner). Researchers have recently demonstrated that doses of licorice root extract, delivering the constituent glycyrrhizin in amounts similar to that contained in standard medical doses of the root, rapidly and significantly lowered levels of circulating testosterone in males (Armanini et al.). This effect appears to occur much more rapidly than the previously observed mineral corticoid effects. Similar effects of licorice on testosterone had been suggested previously in animal trials (Sakamoto and Wakabayashi; Takeuchi et al.) and in female subjects with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) (Takahashi et al; Yaginuma et al).

In the Armanini trial, seven men aged 22-27 years old were given 7 grams daily of a commercial preparation of licorice tablets for a week. The daily dose contained about 0.5 grams (7.14%) of glycyrrhizin, as determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The tablets appear to be crude licorice root, which reportedly contains between 6-15% glycyrrhizin (Budavari), rather than a concentrate. Table 1 shows the changes is several hormones during an eleven-day period. Testosterone levels fell by about 40% within four days of licorice administration, returning to normal four days after its withdrawal.

[zOaib]

caffiene lowers your sex drive , i dont know about how it effects testosterone levels but it decreases your libido for sure or u can say your sexual potency .

[macrophage69alpha]

caffiene lowers your sex drive , i dont know about how it effects testosterone levels but it decreases your libido for sure or u can say your sexual potency .

would you care to provide clinical evidence of that?

below is an interesting study.

Funct Dev Morphol. 1994;4(1):45-50. Related Articles, Links


Hormonal and histological effects of chronic caffeine administration on the pituitary-gonadal and pituitary-adrenocortical axes in male rabbits.

Ezzat AR, el-Gohary ZM.

Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science University of Qatar, Doha.

Daily administration of caffeine (30 or 60 mg/kg) to mature male rabbits for four consecutive weeks caused an increase in the plasma follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and a decrease in the luteinizing hormone (LH). Testosterone was increased with the higher dose only while adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) was not altered by either one. These results suggest that the effects of caffeine on the two gonadotrophic hormones, FSH and LH, involve two separate pathways. The light microscope study revealed reduced sizes of the seminiferous tubules, inhibited spermatogenesis, fatty degeneration of the liver and hepatic lesions. The adrenal glands exhibited signs of stimulated steroidogenesis. It is concluded that long term intake of caffeine induces suppression of spermatogenesis mainly through inhibition of FSH release and this effect is maintained even in the presence of normal or high levels of testosterone and LH.

as well as this one (no abstract (though the title speaks for itself))

Biochem Soc Trans. 1982 Dec;10(6):491-3. Related Articles, Links


Catecholamine stimulation of steroidogenesis in Leydig cells.

Cooke BA, Golding M, Dix CJ.

PMID: 6185370 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]